Bitter Realm: My Feet Step Through the Flames of War

Qian Yuxie jumped into the abyss beneath the Earth Mother Peak, where he saw a dark river, thick as cream, flowing slowly. He tumbled through the air and landed on the riverbank.

A black monster lurks in the river.

The monster was sleeping when it was awakened by the sound of Qian Yuxie cutting through the air, and all three of its heads rose up at the same time.

Then, six yellow pupils opened, like six cold, dead stars, their dim light illuminating its ugly and enormous body.

"Human, how dare you disturb this great being?"

It slapped the river with its thick tail and instantly darted in front of Qian Yuxie, its four powerful claws seemingly poised to climb ashore.

Qian Yuxie took a step back, and although surprised, she still answered politely, "I am very sorry to have disturbed you. I came here to find someone."

Who are you? And who are you looking for?

Perhaps because it had been too long since it had seen any strangers, the monster did not immediately launch an attack, but instead asked again.

"I am the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Naisenyu. I am searching for my king who has gone missing."

The monster looked at Qian Yuxie suspiciously: "You said Yama has disappeared?"

"Indeed, may I ask who you are?"

“Ignorant brat, I am the three-headed cloud dragon, the primordial spirit beast of Yama.”

"Qian Yuxie greets Senior. I never imagined that you had cultivated to such a level of supernatural power."

Despite being a monster, the Three-Headed Cloud Dragon still showed a pleased expression upon hearing these words.

"I haven't seen Yama in a long time... Are there still three suns outside?"

"This? There's only one sun right now."

"One sun is boring, I'd rather sleep."

"Senior Yunjiao, where does this river lead? I still need to continue my search for Yama."

The three-headed cloud dragon yawned and lazily replied, "At the very end of this river, there are a few bored people sitting. I heard they are having a meeting, talking and talking for hundreds of years without getting tired of it."

Qian Yuxie's heart pounded. He tentatively asked, "Senior, may I go and take a look?"

The three heads of the Cloud Dragon shook simultaneously: "No, I am ordered to guard the Deep Marrow Ancient River, and no one is allowed to pass through."

It seems that forcing our way in is not an option.

Qian Yuxie rolled her eyes and suddenly said in a sorrowful voice, "Senior, although I am a civil official, I have also studied martial arts for several years. For the sake of my lord, I have no choice but to risk my life."

Yun Jiao roared, "Are you questioning my strength?"

"Please, senior, give me your advice. If you can defeat me within ten moves, I will retreat. What do you say?"

"You arrogant brat! If I cannot defeat you within three moves, I will let you pass!"

"Okay, please."

Qian Yuxie naturally wouldn't hold back, and with a wave of her hands, she slammed them out, stirring up three feet of water.

"This is considered martial arts? Ridiculous!"

The palm strike landed on the three-headed cloud dragon, but was easily blocked by its thick scales.

"Again, Hundred Rains and Thousand Flowers, drink!"

The river water surged several feet high again, and the palm energy rolled and struck the cloud dragon like a torrential rain.

The three heads of the cloud dragon made different dodging movements, and all the palm rain missed its mark.

"Boy, haven't you eaten? You only have one last chance. If you can't defeat me, you'll die."

Seeing that Yun Jiao had completely lowered her guard, Qian Yuxie used the same trick again. She first struck out with a soft palm wind, but then changed her move in an instant, forming a blood-red rune array that completely covered Yun Jiao and the water area.

"Excuse me, Red Script Blood Fiend Formation!"

The blood demon's power increased upon contact with water. Moments later, the eight winds swirled, crimson runes shimmered, and several blood curse shackles bound the cloud dragon's three heads and four claws, rendering it immobile.

"Cunning humans, I shall retaliate!"

With a roar, the three heads simultaneously spewed lightning, which intertwined into a fierce net of lightning above the ancient river.

"Crimson Cloud Lightning Hand, break!"

Thick bolts of purple lightning were no match for Red Palm's skillful maneuvering; in the blink of an eye, the Thousand Jade Fragments had vanished into the river.

The underground river is as viscous as blood, with a network of pipes resembling nerves, and countless foreign substances floating within it, creating a horrifying scene.

As the river branched off, the jade fragments continued to descend until they reached the deepest part of the marrow, revealing a sea of ​​illusions.

The naked brain hanging before my eyes, connected to the entire outer world, is now pulsating slightly, revealing a state of life.

Deep within the mind, several figures stood silently, lost in reverie.

One of the figures was the old friend that Qian Yuxie had been searching for for hundreds of years.

"This is?"

Even though she was mentally prepared, Qian Yuxie still exclaimed in surprise.

"Who dares to trespass!"

Suddenly, the exposed brain spoke, and at the same time, the spiderweb-like river shimmered, and the alien substance flowed toward the jade fragments, emanating an irresistible and eerie evil power.

Qian Yuxie dared not linger, and quickly turned back, swimming back the way she came.

Brainwaves surged behind him, blood waves rolled, and strange forces relentlessly pursued him.

Just as the evil force was about to catch up, a deafening roar erupted as the three-headed cloud dragon broke through the Thousand Jade Fragments' formation, unleashing a terrifying, earth-shattering wave of water.

With the evil force behind him blocked, Qian Yuxie finally jumped ashore. Ignoring the angry curses of the three-headed cloud dragon, he rushed into the sky and fled back to the Great Yellow Earth Mother.

When he returned to the ground, there was no longer any Great Yellow Earth Mother, only a desolate landscape washed over by successive floods and scorching heat.

Overnight, the earth's energy was lost, the temperature became unbalanced, and the land was left devastated.

Qian Yuxie had no interest in examining it. With the secrets of the Deep Marrow Ancient River now revealed, it was time for him to leave this place completely.

"Heaven is unworthy, yet jade dust remains; Earth is unworthy, yet jade dust remains; rice, salt, tea, horses, wine—everything is a thousand pieces of jade dust."

"A cruel king, hypocritical ministers, how laughable, how laughable! Hahahaha!"

Qian Yuxie threw down the jade tablet in her hand, laughed loudly, and left.

A moment later, Yama, summoned by the original brain, hurriedly arrived at the place. Upon seeing the jade tablet on the ground, he immediately understood what had happened.

With a flick of his hand, Yama's jade tablet turned to dust: "Thousand Jade Dust, no matter how fast you run, you can never escape Yama's palm."

The strange waves of the ancient river still surge.

"It's been so long, are you excited, my primordial beast?"

"Humph!"

Having suffered a loss in silence, Yun Jiao had no desire to talk.

Yama did not linger beside the Three-Headed Cloud Dragon, but went straight to the Deep Sea of ​​the Mind-Brain.

"After so many years, you have finally arrived?"

"Sorry for the waitting."

"Deep discussions, six kings gathered, the universe was in chaos, and they held the reins of heaven and earth."

"At that time, while we were holding the Deep Mind Council, we also launched a war against the Bitter Realm and the Heavenly Frontier. Originally, as long as we eliminated the Shepherd God, we could let the Lord of the Green and Perilous Mountains, the Flame King, enter the world."

"Indeed, who knew that the Heavenly Demon would suddenly betray you, causing your vital energy to be greatly damaged, and you will no longer have your peak strength, making it impossible for you to enter the Deep Mind for long discussions."

As Yama sensed his current physical condition, having absorbed the Crystal Spirit and the Xuanbao Yuan Gong, his injuries had improved, but he had only recovered to 80%.

The three princes in the prison who were worth absorbing were currently gathered together, making them difficult to obtain.

He was just heading to the Paradise Forest to find the Wood Crystal Spirit and the Gold Crystal Spirit when he was urgently summoned by the Primal Brain.

The original brain continued its report: "Although your connection with me has been severed, the Deep Brain Council, which I preside over, has never ceased."

"very good."

"Now that we have connected our minds, it's time to take a crucial step in our grand plan."

What suggestions do you have?

"The six kings who created the heavens began with the King of Chaos!"

"He... is a very good partner."

On the other side of the Bitter Realm, Su Huanzhen exchanged his Soul Frost for the World-Illuminating Lamp and the Antidote for the Tired Heaven.

Po Rushuang was thus kept by Yi Dongqing.

During this time, Su Huanzhen remained hidden behind the scenes, but he wasn't truly indifferent. After returning to Cuihuan Mountain, Su Huanzhen revealed a shocking secret to Jin Yin Shuangxiu, Cang, Zhaoshi Mingdeng, and the others:

"When Daozhen wiped out the Tianqiang tribe, it was actually a conspiracy. The Tianqiang were originally a nomadic people and had no intention or behavior of invading the Bitter Realm... The details are as follows."

"What! It's Ge Xianchuan's conspiracy?"

"Not only him, but also the most responsible hero in charge of intelligence gathering, Nan Zong Baopuzi, was involved. Only you, Juan Shoutian, were unaware of it. Later, Yuan Wuxiang was drawn into the war to save you."

Juan Shoutian said bitterly, "Is this why the most guilty hero changed his name to the guilty hero? Heh, heh heh heh..."

The massacre of an entire nation and the loss of a friend's hands—the truth behind it all is so appalling.

"Therefore, I have no right to stop Yi Dongqing from seeking revenge against Daozhen's lineage, but I also cannot bear to see you and Po Rushuang caught in a dilemma of love and hatred."

"I owe her."

"Cheer up, finding the culprit is the only way to bring peace to those who died with a grudge."

Juan Shoutian and Yuan Wuxiang were both startled: "Su Huanzhen, what do you mean?"

"According to my speculation, Ge Xianchuan only faked his death to escape punishment. The mysterious person who has recently appeared in the martial arts world has had a lot of contact with the guilty hero. You can start from there."

"Ge Xianchuan faked his death? How is that possible!"

"Furthermore, I find your blindness suspicious, and I need to conduct a more thorough examination."

Cang sighed, "What other earth-shattering secrets do you have? Su Huanzhen, tell us all at once. I see that Juan Shoutian and Yuan Wuxiang have already turned pale with fright."

"Ha, this time it's really over."

After settling the World-Illuminating Lamp, Su Huanzhen and Cang Jixingyun crossed the mountain to observe the situation of the Yellow Springs Return Line.